Understanding how to generate buzz is a crucial entrepreneurial skill — especially for ventures that haven’t raised jillions of dollars to spend on advertising or giant trade show booths. At last week’s MassTLC Innovation Unconference, a group of PR pros, journalists, social media experts, and entrepreneurs got together to collaboratively create this list of 43 ways to generate buzz in both traditional media and social media. It’s not a definitive list by any standard, and I don’t agree with 100 percent of it, but it collects a number of perspectives about how to get free ink for your company.

Marketing “buzz” was definitely on people’s minds – about 60-70 participants attended this session, which was roughly triple the average session size. The session was facilitated by Scott Kirsner, Boston Globe columnist, Adam Zand, PR consultant, Doug Banks, MassHighTech publisher, and Meg O’Leary, InkHouse PR’s principal. They did a spectacular job of not only providing tips on 95% of their list, but keeping the audience engaged and encouraging participation.

1. Know the Target!2. Know what an exclusive means - be careful3. Triage your press target vis a vis objective4. News should be "new"5. Make personal6. Know your story first7. ID a trend8. What are you like (probably not unique)9. Share competitor information early (customer ignorance doesn't count)10. Hone key messages11. Learn to write + talk12. Provide options to journalists13. Be human - not a corporation14. Be careful on twitter + facebook - some people don't like solicitations15. Don't spam a big list16. Follow hash tags17. Create supporting content - Youtube, B.roll demo18. Contact info should be real (not forms)19. Get all media - print, online video, TV, radio20. Know deadlines21. News is new:product launch (not 2.3);novelty (user features);funding + M&A;executive appts;customer/user22. ROI is a good thing23. Enable your fans + customers to talk, on your behalf24. Find influential twitter folks25. Be an expert and resource26. You often are never off the record, but can get accord27. Have a great product - UX is key - fix customer issues and problems all the time28. Remember media relations is just press release or29. Control is ...30. Take a stand: "ecommerce is dying"31. Envision the headline32. Share #s (even if private); percentages don't really help without context33. User service partners (Angels, Banks, VCs, Academics)34. Take good photos35. Rookie mistake -> Be careful how it rolls out36. Editorial calendar37. What is a wire for you?Costs $Business wirePR news wire -> PRWeb.com (doesn't reach journalists)Market wire -> Get on google + SEOFree:RSS + PitchEngine.com (Very good wire!)38. Inside look; Access - Walk in my shoes39. Take your lumps - don't take it personally40. It's a dialogue, not monologue41. Timing - plug into trends (like #7) - Calendar42. Be Fun!43. BONUS: Tell the TRUTH!

Questions from the audience

1. What wires do the panelists read? Kirsner doesn't read wires. Instead, he gets news through his network. Doug (Mass High Tech) reads a variety of New England wires.2. What about launching a product at a big event? It's too difficult to launch a new product at a big event, like SXSW. First, generate your own buzz and build a customer base, then go to big events and launch your event.